Non-fatal strangulation in intimate partner violence is a powerful predictor of femicide, the main cause of premature death for women globally. A woman who has been targeted for non-fatal strangulation by a partner or family member is 750% more like to be killed by the same perpetrator.
Non-Fatal Strangulation Is A Gendered Crime
Non-fatal strangulation, also known as non-fatal asphyxiation, affects 10 times as many women as men, making it a gendered form of domestic violence. It occurs in 45% of attempted femicides.
Non-fatal strangulation and stalking are considered two of the most serious red flags of escalating aggression that can lead to femicide.
“It actually takes about 7 seconds occlusion of the blood vessels to make someone unconscious,” Gail Starr, clinical coordinator for Albuquerque Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (SANE).
Healthcare Workers Can Be A Lifeline For Victim-Survivors
Informed healthcare professional are often the only hope for women targeted for non-fatal strangulation by current and former intimate partner or family members. It is often overlooked as victim-survivors are often too terrified and disoriented to report the violence they are experiencing at the hands of their partners and family members.
Traces of non-fatal strangulation are only discernible in 50% of the cases. Therefore, learning to identify the signs of non-fatal strangulation is crucial in femicide prevention.
Some physical signs of non-fatal strangulation are:
- Loss of consciousness
- Difficulty breathing
- Difficulty swallowing
- Brain damage
- Hoarse voice
- Paralysis
- Motor and speech disorders
- Stroke
- Bladder or bowel incontinence
- Dizziness
- Memory loss
- Tinnitus
- Seeing dark spots
- Tunnel vision
- Memory loss
Non-fatal strangulation can lead to strokse as there is a risk of blood clots forming in the artery. The strokes can occur days or weeks after the act of violence occurred.
Some psychological signs of non-fatal strangulation include:
- Post-traumatic stress (PTSD)
- Depression
- Suicidality
- Dissociation
- Compliance
- Amnesia
Legislation Against Non-Fatal Strangulation
So far non-fatal strangulation has been criminalized in England and Wales, where it carries a sentence of up to 7 years in prison.
Further Reading
- The Long-Term Consequences of Narcissistic Abuse
- The Complete Guide to Narcissistic Abuse Recovery
- The Cycle of Narcissistic Abuse
- C-PTSD and Depression After Narcissistic Abuse
- Psycho-Emotional Abuse: The Essential Guide
- Diabetes and Coercive Control: Causes, Risks, and Health Impacts
- Financial Abuse: A Hidden Form of Coercive Control
- Economic Abuse in Coercive Control: Signs, Impact & Recovery
- National Femicide Rates in the United States
- The Global Femicide Legislation Index
- The Global Coercive Control Legislation Index
References
- Costello, B. (2022, March 2) ‘Report: Choking, strangulation victims 750% more likely to be killed by offender.’ KOB4. Retrieved January 19, 2023.
- Finlon, K. (2018, October 26) ‘Expert: Choking strongly predicts homicide’ The Associated Press. Retrieved January 19, 2023.
- Stacey, M. (October 12) ‘Manual strangulation is the biggest sign domestic abuse will turn deadly, experts say.’ 13 WTHR. Retrieved January 19, 2023.
Manya Wakefield is a narcissistic abuse recovery coach, coercive trauma specialist, and the developer of the Coercive Trauma Recovery Method™ and TENEL™ (Traumatic Exposure to Narcissism in Early Life) — proprietary recovery frameworks built from seven years of direct professional work with survivors of coercive control, narcissistic abuse, and Adult Children of Narcissists. Both frameworks have been reviewed by Dr. Michael Kinsey, PhD, clinical psychologist, New School for Social Research. She is the founder of Narcissistic Abuse Rehab, a global social impact platform launched in 2019 to support survivors through evidence-based recovery frameworks. Manya is the author of Are You In An Emotionally Abusive Relationship (2019), a resource used in domestic violence recovery groups worldwide. Her original research contributions include the Global Coercive Control Legislation Index (2020) — the first systematic index of its kind on the web — and the Global Femicide Legislation Index (2026), comprehensive legal references used by advocates, legal professionals, and policymakers internationally, cited in peer-reviewed publications including the Southern Illinois University Law Journal, Palgrave Macmillan, and the University of Agder. Her expertise has been featured in Newsweek, Elle, Cosmopolitan, HuffPost, Parade, and YourTango. She hosts the Narcissistic Abuse Rehab Podcast, available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Amazon Music. All content on this site reflects Manya's direct professional experience working with survivors of narcissistic abuse and coercive control, her published research, and her ongoing advocacy work.
